Vehicle-transporter



2 $heets-Sheet 1.

2. l-ll! atent'ed Mar. 6, 1888.

TER.

V. GUSTAVSON.

VEHICLE TRANSPOR (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

* V. GUSTAVSON.

VEHICLE TRANSPORTER.

No. 379,011. Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

Phmmhn n mr. Wivhlngmn. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

VICTOR GUSTAVSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE-TRANSPORTER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,011, dated March 6, 1888.

Application filed February 2B, 1887. Serial No. 229.256. (X0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Referring to the drawings, in which similar Be it known that I, VICTOR GUSTAVSON, reletters indicate like parts throughout the sevsiding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Transporters, of which the following is a .full description.

The object of my invention is to transport vehicles across swinging or draw bridges or other obstacles,when all mechanism connected with such transportation must be free and disconnected from the bridge or roadway, so as not to interfere in any way with free passage through the draw-openings ofsuch bridges or across such obstacles.

My invention is particularly designed for use on roads where the motive power to drive the vehicle is transmitted by a wire cable, chain, or rope, and the obstacle to be crossed is a navigable stream spanned by a draw or swinging bridge, over which it is impracticable to run the cable, because of its interference both with the opening of the bridge and with navigation.

In the operation of what are known as cable-roads it has been found impossible without risk to maintain connection with the cable and car by use of the grip to a distance less than forty feet from the terminal pulley, because of deflection of the cable; hence, if the terminal pulley is placed as near the bridge as may be, there will still be forty feet (more or less) over which to propel the car without the aid of the cable, and as the approaches to bridges are usually on an upward incline, the momentum of the car after it is disconnected from the cable will not be sufficient to carry it onto the bridge, so as to connect with a separate contrivance operated on the bridge itself. I overcome these difficulties and attain the object above mentioned by the use of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of the street road-bed and bridge; Fig. 2, a top view of the same with the surface of the street removed; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section of the carrying-truck; Fig. 4., a top view of the same, showing engagement of the truck and elevation, showing vertical movement of carrying-truck.

eral figures, a represents the car-track and the level of the street and bridge.

Z) in Fig. 3 is the grip-slit, through which connection is had with car and cable by use of the grip c. In the same figure, d is the cableruuway. Below the cable-runway d, and commencing at a point as near the bridge as possible, is the subsidiary-cable pit A, of depth and length sufficient to accommodate the subsidiary cable O and cable-drums U and \V, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Located in the cable vault or pit A, at the end nearest the bridge and as close thereto as may be, is the main terminal pulley D, around which travels the main driving-cable of the cable system. Said main cable is not shown in the drawings. The pulley I) is fastened to the shaft E. The latter turns in boxes attached to trestles. (Not shown in the drawings.) The shaft E is provided with the bevelgear F, which engages with and turns the gear G, fastened to one end of the shaft H. The shaft H is provided with the gear K and friction-clutch S, and revolves in the boxes eee, secured to the frame-work I. The gear K drives the intermediate gear L, thereby transmitting motion to the driven gear M, which is fastened to one end of the shaft N. The gear L is fastened to a shaft which turns in the boxes ff, while the shaft N turns in the boxes f f f f f f, all the boxes being secured to the framework-I, as indicated in Fig. 5. The other end of the shaft N carries the gear 0, which drives the gear 1?, fastened to the shaft Q. The other end of the shaft Q carries the friction-clutch R. The shaft Q turns in the boxes gg, secured to the frame-work I. Fastened to the frame-work I are the boxes h h, within which turns the shaft T. The shaft T carries at each end the sister friction-clutches R S, and between them the cable-drum U. The clutches R S are keyed to the shaft T, so as to move to and fro upon the same, and are operated by the leversz' i, pivoted at y y, and provided with the forks m so, also with the stretcher is, pivoted as shown, and provided with the guide n.

The cable-drum U is scored for the reception of two or more turns of the subsidiary cable O. The cable 0 passes backward over the cable-drum W, as shown in Fig. 1, the said drum being scored for the reception of two or more turns thereof. The drums U and \V are separated from each other sufficiently to provide a proper length of cable to operate the carrying-truck. Their location is determined by the length of the bridge and inclines to be crossed. The cable 0, after leaving the drums U and \V, is crossed and the ends secured to the opposite ends of the carryingtruck X.

The truck X is constructed in sections of any convenient length, hinged together at A, Figs. 6 and 7, so as to allow of a vertical movement to adapt itself to the level of the bridge in passing onto the same from the incline. Its length should also be proportioned to length of incline and bridge to be crossed. It travels on the wheels on the rails J J, provided for it under the bridge, and in the cable'runway after it leaves the bridge. It is also provided with the wheels Z, which travel under and in contact with the T-iron m, laid in the top of the runways, to prevent the truck from rising from the rails. The front end of the truck is provided with the movable arm Y, pivoted at 0, to enable the grip c to pass it by revolving it to the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4;, after which it resumes its proper position through action of the spring q. In this last position it is prevented from turning in the contrary direction, when it engages with the grip c, by contact of its edge a and the shoulder t. Extending downward from the rear end of the truck X is the arm 12, provided with the wheel 10, which wheel comes in contact with the guide a on the stretcher 7;, to

throw the levers i i and reverse the movement of the truck when it has crossed the bridge, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

My improved vchiole-transporter operates as follows, viz: The truck X rests in position at the foot of the approach to the bridge,\vith its front end a safe distance from the terminal cable-pulley D. A car to be transported across the bridge arrives and passes over the truck X, its forward progress being unimpeded by the arm Y, by reason of its revolving to permit the grip c to pass it, when the arm resumes its first position through action of the spring q, as shown in Fig. 4:. After passing the front end, Z, of the truck X, the main cable is dropped from the grip and the levers it, thrown to engage the friction-clutch S S, as shown in Fig. 5. Motion is at once imparted to the auxiliary-eable drums U and \V from the terminal pulley D through the gears F G and shaft II. The cable 0 winds upon the drums U and \V at one end and unwinds from them at the other, thereby propel ling the truck X up the incline until the arm Y engages with the grip c of the car. The car being still in motion, that motion is continued through said engagement of the arm Y, attached to the moving truck X and the grip c of the car, until the car is transported up the incline and across the bridge to any desired distance on the other side of the same. XVhen the proper point is reached, the motion of the truck is automatically reversed through the arm 1:, provided with the wheel 20, fastened to the rear end of the truck X, engagingwith the slide a on the stretcher k, which throws the leversit", so that the clutch S S is disengaged and the complementary clutch R It comes to gether, a reverse motion being imparted to it from the terminal pulley D through the gears F and G and the shaft H and gears K L M O P and shafts N Q,. The truck X then travels back to its first position.

The truek,X, propelling the car is under the control of a man stationed at the gearing to operate the levers ii, so that the truck can he stopped, in case of accident or other emergency,at any desired point on the approaches and bridge.

IfI desire, I can construct my improved vehicle-transporter so as to carry cars both ways over the bridge by using a double track and enlarging the subsidiarycable pit A to contain a set of gearing and subsidiary-cable sys tem, like that already described, placed on the opposite side of the main pulley l), and operated by the shaft E to propel a return-truck constructed and operated like that above described.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A vehicle-transporter consisting of the movable truck X, operated by the subsidiary cable G, substantially as described.

2. A vehiele-transporter consisting of the movable truck X, operated by the subsidiary cable G, the latter operated by the main cable of the cable system,snbstantial ly as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. 'A vehicle-transportcr for cable-cars, consisting of the movable truck X, operated by the subsidiary cable C from the main terminal pulley D by shafts and gearing, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

4. A vehiole-transporter for cablecars, consisting of the movable truck X, in sections, hinged at A to permit vertical movement, driven by the subsidiary cable 0 around the drums U and \V from the pulley Dby the shafts II, N, Q, and T, clutches S S and R It, and gears F, G, K, L, M, O, and I, substair tially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a vehicle-transporter for cable-cars, the combination of the truck X, in sections, hinged to permit vertical movement, and provided with the arm Y, operated by the spring q,the arm n, and wheels Z, and the cable 0 and drums U and \V, operated by the pulley D through the shafts H, N, Q, and T, clutches S S and R t, gearing F G K L M O P, and necessary boxes, the levers i i, pivoted at 3 y, and provided with the forks x x and stretcher 7t and guide a, and the frame-work I, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

' VICTOR GUSTAVSON.

Witnesses:

EDWARD S. J UDD, RUssELL H. OURTIs. 

